Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-02-03
THE carp BROTHERS.
The story of the Great Fight at
Tom bStO ne.

u nc StOTy VI tnc ~ECthS ~ NJ 80
Tom bStOne.
Wyatt 8. carp is one of the most
famous Western characters living. Prob
ably no man has wider spread reputa'
tion throughout the Western territories
than Wyatt S. carp. of the famous Earp
brothers, who created such a sensation
few years since at Tombstone, Arizona,
by completely exterminating whole
band of out-lawed cutthroats who had
sought safe refuge in Ariz) )na's noun.
famous ranges. They had until the ad-
vent of carp and his three broth ers
done as they pleased, numbering and
robbing with none to molest. This or.
ganization of the famous bandits was
headed by the notorious "Curly Bill.
They had for several years kept the por
tion of Arizona in which Tombstone is
situated completely terrorized. The
law was detied and the officials power.
less to enforce it. Citizens were made
to throw up their hands in broad day.
light and hand over whatever of value
they possessed. Wells, Fargo & Co.
were ut the mercy of these highway
men, and many times their coaches were
.''held up" and their treasury box handed
down to the merciless villains who did
not hesitate to kill, when their demands
were not complied with. Finally the
"Earp boys" as they were called, made
their appearance in Tombstone, and
located some of the very best town prop.
erty contained within the city limits.
They also staked out some of the most
valuable miniug claims in the district.
Wyatt then became interested in one of
the fiuest saloons and gambling houses
in the territory, and was making money
hand over fist. About this time one OF
Wells, Fargo & Co. IS coaches was "held
up" and the treasury box taken with its
contents. The express company officials
had heard the carp boys spoken of as a
set of very resOlute men. who had been
officers Of the law. They determined
upon securing the services of at least
one of them to act in the capacity OF
'shotgun" messenger. The duty of the
messenger would be to protect the treas.
ury box while in transit to the railroad
at Benson, some thirty miles distant.
Morgan carp Yves accordingly employed,
and it is needless to add that after he
had assumed charge of the treasury box
robberies became less frequent Nor
gans acceptance of position in the ex.
press company's employ was, however,
the signal for an open declaration of war
between the robbers and carp boys. The
cowboys declared that unless ''Morg."
carp gave up his job as messenger they
would "kill him." This declaration
they made known to "Morg." The lat
ter sent them word that he intended
pursuing the even tenor of his way, and
that any time they saw fit to kill him
all they had to do was to commence
hostilities. This SO enraged the outlaw
element that they concluded one day to
beard the lion In his den aud see what
kind of mettle the Earps were made of.
Accordingly the two Clanton brothers,
in company with Frank and Tom Nc.
Lowry, paid their respects to the city of
Tombstone, bent on bringing ON an en-.
counter with the Earps.
Virgil carp was ut this time city
marshal, and as good one as ever wore
the star. After the visiting warriors
had filed themselves pretty full of
whisky they commenced to "take in the
town." They had not proceeded far,
however, before Marshal Earp disarmed
the leader, Ike Clanton, aud had him
up before the police court. He was
assessed $50 and costs for boisterous
conduct. After paying his fine, Ike
Clanton got the balance OF bis party